Teaching Matters FY24 Annual Report

Excellent teaching for every student.

Fiscal Year 2024 Report

September 1, 2023 - August 31, 2024

Message from the CEO Teaching Matters was founded on the belief that every student has the right to receive excellent teaching, regardless of their zip code.

Dear Friends, Thirty years ago, the late Elizabeth Rohatyn founded Teaching Matters with the visionary goal to level the educational playing field for public school students in New York City. She believed in a profound idea with significant social impact – every child, regardless of zip code, deserves access to excellent teaching.

Since our founding in 1994, Teaching Matters has been at the forefront of educational equity in New York City. What started as a humble initiative with just 10 coaches serving 25 schools has blossomed into a movement spanning over 2,000 schools that has supported more than 50,000 teachers and impacted over 750,000 students across the tri-state area.

Our 30-year history is filled with incredible milestones, which you’ll find detailed in this report. And we’re only just getting started. In 2024, Teaching Matters was named the highest rated professional learning provider for New York City Reads, NYC Public Schools’ initiative to standardize literacy curricula for all students. This school year marks our largest expansion to date, with our coaches supporting 4,711 teachers across New York City, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Newark, New Jersey, and Bridgeport, Connecticut. Furthermore, we’re committed to technological adaptability, as we pioneer usage of AI-driven innovations to enhance and deepen our teacher coaching.

We know that our work is far from over. Education remains one of the few sectors where a child’s zip code continues to dictate their opportunities and access to resources, limiting economic and social mobility for too many young people. That’s why we remain steadfast in our commitment to creating access for all students to receive high-quality curriculum and instruction, ultimately changing their future trajectories. Thanks to the transformative support of committed partners like you, we coached teachers in 334 schools, ultimately reaching 128,255 students during the 2023-2024 school year.

Looking ahead, we are excited to continue working with you to blend real-world goals with best practices and advanced technology. Thank you to every individual who has supported us this year and throughout our organization’s history. We are grateful to have you with us on this journey and look forward to the meaningful milestones we will achieve together in the next 30 years and beyond.

With gratitude,

Lynette Guastaferro CEO Teaching Matters

Empowering Teachers for 30 Years

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NYC Reads + NYC Solves Driving Transformative Change Teaching Matters is thrilled to build on the initial success of NYC Reads by expanding our work to 164 schools across the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn for the 2024-2025 school year. In our first year of partnering in this landmark initiative, we supported 1,000 teachers across 75 schools to deliver the use of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) for 30,000 students. Making HQIM accessible is transformative for the educational opportunities and advancement of students, ensuring teachers have the tools and know-how they need to meet their students’ needs. Feedback from teachers, school leaders, and superintendents showed our organization was the highest-rated coaching provider, as well as the most frequently requested professional development partner for districts seeking ELA support. On average, schools supported

by Teaching Matters saw a 16 percentage point increase in the proportion of teachers effectively implementing the new curricula utilized for NYC Reads.

Following in the footsteps of NYC Reads, New York City is now making strides towards a common, high-quality math curriculum with the introduction of NYC Solves. This initiative aims to empower students to thrive in mathematics, helping all schools and districts in the city work together to strengthen student math proficiency. Teaching Matters will support 40 schools in implementing NYC Solves for the 2024-2025 school year, driving lasting change in math education.

Scaled innovative, blended-learning writing program proven to improve outcomes for middle school students

Coached 10,000+ teachers and principals in effective integration of classroom technology

1994

1996

Wrote citywide technology plan for NYC Department of Education

2002

2003

2004

2005

300+ schools Selected by Division of Non-Public Schools to lead professional development support for Title I teachers at 300+ schools

Established two secondary schools promoting technologyenriched instruction, reaching 10,000+ students in 10 years

Founded

by Elizabeth Rohatyn

First Teaching Matters Chairman’s Council Meeting

2007

2009

Led civic engagement programming for 10,000+ students in partnership with NYC Council

2010

2011 Launched The Elizabeth Rohatyn Prize for Schools Where Teaching Matters

Honored by Mayor Bloomberg in proclamation recognizing Teaching Matters’ Day

Inaugural Champions of Education Luncheon

2013

2013

25,000 students Established a Teaching Matters network of 24 K-12 schools, reaching 25,000 students

Education Innovation Revolutionizing Teacher Coaching with AI Teaching Matters is excited to partner with the Center for Public Research and Leadership (CPRL) at Columbia University on a cutting-edge collaboration that will push the boundaries of educational innovation. This study will examine the effectiveness of coaching routines that utilize TeachFX, an emerging AI technology. TeachFX provides automated feedback through analysis of teacher questioning patterns and student talk time. Two schools are participating in the inaugural year of this multi-year exploration, with one school using TeachFX and one school acting as a control. Eight schools are slated to join the following school year. Through this study, we aim to unlock the potential of generative AI in making teacher coaching more impactful, efficient, and cost-effective, ultimately increasing teacher effectiveness for students on a grander scale.

This visionary project is made possible by the generous support of the Research Partnership for Professional Learning (RPPL), Overdeck Family Foundation, and New Venture Fund. We thank them for their commitment to educational excellence, which drives us forward.

Designed K-2 literacy program leading to improved reading proficiency for thousands of students in under-served communities

AR

TN

Worked with the Tennessee and Arkansas departments of education to bring teacher leader certification to their states

2014

2014

Partnered with the city and teacher’s union to certify 1,400+ teacher leaders

2016

2019

Prepared content for 8+ weeks of remote learning, reaching over 100,000 teachers serving 1 million K-8th grade students

Chosen as largest nonprofit partner for historic NYC Reads initiative, serving three districts and 70 schools

NJ Expanded work to Newark, NJ, serving the educators of every child in the city, ages 3 to 8

2020

2020

2021

Early Learning Matters model developed to support Pre-K teachers and early childcare providers Developed Foundational Literacy Matters (formerly Jumpstart) to support K-1st grade teachers whose students have difficulties learning to read

2023

Partnered with TeachFX to pilot the integration of AI and teacher coaching

Launch of NYC Solves partnership

2023

2024

2024

2024

Pre-K work expands to Bridgeport, CT CT

Teaching Matters 30th Anniversary!

“The strategies my coach provided for scaffolding instruction for multilingual learners were incredibly helpful. I’ve noticed a significant improvement in how I tailor my lessons to meet the diverse needs of my students. The techniques shared have made my instruction more inclusive, which has fostered a more supportive and engaging learning environment for all my students.”

–Teacher, Bronx, New York

2024 Event Highlights School’s Almost Out! Last May, Board members Sonny Kalsi of BGO and Tim Johnson of Blackstone hosted “School’s Almost Out!,” an evening cocktail party that raised over $750,000 to support Teaching Matters early reading programs. Attendees enjoyed entertainment from special guest Fat Joe.

16th Annual Champions of Education Luncheon

TCS New York City Marathon Teaching Matters was proud to be an official charity partner of the 2024 TCS New York City marathon. Six runners raised over $30,000 for our programs and services in exchange for guaranteed entry spots to the New York City marathon. Thank you to our inaugural Teaching Matters marathon team for raising awareness and funds to ensure public school students have equitable access to excellent education in New York City and beyond!

In October, Teaching Matters honored Verdun S. Perry and Amanda Ross Bacon for their dedication to educating and empowering the next generation of New York City’s leaders. This event, which celebrated Teaching Matters 30 years of service to teachers and students, included a keynote speech from Shawn V. Morehead, Vice Presidents of Grants at New York Community Trust.

Transforming Education for the Next Generation Every child deserves an excellent education – one that opens doors, ignites curiosity, and builds confidence. Thanks to your partnership, we’re ready to scale our impact to ensure all students master the reading and math skills they need to thrive.

By 2029, Teaching Matters aims to strategically advance its mission in the following ways:

• Reach 750,000 Students Every 5 Years We will partner with school districts at scale and across diverse communities to implement effective, evidence-based programs and interventions aligned to high-quality curricula in the New York metro area and beyond, ultimately increasing the reading and math proficiency of 750,000 students every five years.

• Prioritizing High-Need Schools We will meet the needs of under-served communities to address educational disparities, empowering students with the tools they need to succeed in reading and math. We will achieve this by expanding our services to over 350 high-need schools annually, including 30% of high-need schools in New York City.

• Grow Sustainably With a deep commitment to responsible stewardship and sustainable growth, we’ll expand our annual impact from $8 million to $13 million – maximizing the tangible impact of our supporters’ investments on our teachers and students.

• Scale to National Reach We seek to broaden our geographical footprint, reaching five new districts on the East Coast. We will leverage our proven methodologies and adapt to local needs to provide high-quality, evidence-based instruction to all students (Tier I support) and small group instruction for students not meeting expectations (Tier II support). In addition to curriculum adoption, we will focus on expanding our Pre-K and Foundational Literacy Matters (formerly Jumpstart) programs.

Our 3rd-5th grade teacher team has grown enormously in their ability to thoughtfully plan math lessons, beginning with the goal of the lesson and what mastery looks like for students.

They are anticipating misconceptions, planning effective questions, collecting formative assessment data and using it to inform instruction, both during the lesson and in future lessons.”

– Assistant Principal, New York, New York

Our Reach and Impact DURING THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR

334

schools supported

4,256 teachers coached

128,225 students impacted

30 Years of Impact Since 1994

2,000+ schools supported

50,000+ teachers coached

750,000+ students impacted

“Thanks to Teaching Matters, teachers can now provide high-quality reading instruction to tens of thousands of the City’s most promising young people. The New York Community Trust is honored to support Teaching Matters success and celebrate their 30 years of service to New York City public school teachers and students.”

–Shawn V. Morehead, The New York Community Trust

Fiscal Year 2024 Giving Breakdown

Events

29.3% 64.3%

Annual Giving

Private Foundations

4.3%

Corporate Support Private Foundations Corporate Support Annual Giving/Individuals Events

Charitable Foundation

Inc.

Thank You to our Corporate Supporters!

Thank You to our Institutional Supporters!

Altman Foundation Booth Ferris Foundation Carson Family Charitable Trust Cleveland H. Dodge Foundation Fordham Street Foundation Frances L. & Edwin L. Cummings Memorial Fund Gates Foundation

Heckscher Foundation for Children Henry E. Niles Foundation Impact Fairfield County New York Community Trust Overdeck Family Foundation Research Partnership for Professional Learning (RPPL) Robin Hood Learning + Technology Fund Viking Global Foundation

A special thank you to our Board of Directors and Chairman’s Council for their unwavering support throughout our 30 year journey!

Board of Directors Dionis Rodriguez, Chairman Founder and Managing Principal Crimson Rock Capital

Elena Crespo Principal Marketing, Business Development, & Customer Engagement at Verisave

Olga Votis, Chairman Emerita Galt House

Adam Hopkins Managing Director & Deputy General Counsel, Mizuho Americas LLC

Dana Creel, Vice Chair Public Relations Consultant Ingrid Edelman, Vice Chair Ongaro Interiors Sonny Kalsi, Vice Chair Co-Chief Executive Officer, BentallGreenOak Joseph C. Lewis, Treasurer Head of Derivatives Solutions Group, Jefferies Group LLC Michaël Bijaoui Partner & COO, East Wind

Board Members Emeriti Janet Dewart Bell Communications and Management Consultant Dr. Edward A. Friedman Stevens Institute of Technology

Tim Johnson Senior Managing Director at Blackstone

Patsy Glazer Independent Management Consultant

Simone Mailman Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker, Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales, LLC

Bryan R. Lawrence Oakcliff Capital

Calie Santana Senior Medical Principal, Evernorth Health Services Hoke Slaughter Partner, PJT Partners Jacqueline R. Williams Board Member, Teaching Matters

2024 Chairman’s Council Members Dana Creel, Co-Chair Ami Javeri, Co-Chair Simone Mailman, Co-Chair Amanda Ross Bacon Marina Livanos Colettis Jean Colin Cathryn Collins Mary Dillow Maja DuBrul

Ingrid Edelman Meaghan McRaith Egan Danielle Ganek Diana Heldfond Deepali Javeri Cynthia Ketchum Trinka LaBranche Merrill Mahan Valerie Ohrstrom

Molly O’Meara Sheehan Gala Prabhu Rosemary Ripley Georgina Schaeffer Frances Schultz Simona Stevens Dorilin Stoudemire Morella Troconis Olga Votis Sharon Zambrelli

Thank you for all of your support!

Lynette Guastaferro lguastaferro@teachingmatters.org (212) 870 - 3505